Bruce Bochy and the Texas Rangers tried to throw off Nolan McLean the same way they did Jonah Tong just two nights earlier.
The AL West club took 18 of the first 19 pitches the 22-year-old Tong, who was making just his third career MLB start, threw on Friday night. It threw off the right-hander so much that he could not make it out of the first inning, allowing six runs while recording just two outs while Texas batted around.
Texas tried it again on Sunday afternoon, taking McLean’s first 18 offerings. But the 24-year-old is not only significantly ahead of Tong in terms of development, he is also now the Mets’ undisputed ace despite this being just his sixth career start.
McLean struck out the first two men he faced, looking, despite falling behind in the count, walked Joc Pederson, then got Adolis Garcia to line out to center on the first swing of the day.
So began another gem from McLean, who went six shutout innings, allowing five hits and two walks to go with seven strikeouts. He is the first pitcher in Mets history to begin his career with six straight starts of five-plus innings pitched with two or fewer runs allowed.
“Nolan was impressive again. It looks like they had a good plan there, especially against his sweeper, where they took some pitches early in counts,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “They were aggressive on that pitch, and he kind of recognized that, and he started using that sinker. He started using that changeup… that is what makes this guy who he is.”
McLean’s ERA has now dipped to a ridiculous 1.19, and he has yet to allow a run in each of his first three starts at Citi Field — both are team records. His 40 strikeouts also ties Dwight Gooden for the third-most punchouts across a pitcher’s first six career starts.
“I’m not a huge stat guy,” McLean said. “I just try to go out and give my team the best chance to win every time.”
While he is shying away from his early accolades, his teammates are in awe of him, particularly his catcher, Francisco Alvarez.
“He impresses me every day when he’s on the mound. He’s a guy, he can move the ball around, he can control every pitch. That’s what makes him so good.”
He has also become a savior, of sorts, for a Mets rotation that still has not been able to figure it out with 12 games left in the regular season. McLean has become New York’s late-summer stopper, as his gem laid the groundwork to stop an eight-game losing streak, even if he was saddled with a no-decision due to another bullpen collapse.
Pete Alonso’s walk-off home run ultimately got the Mets back into the third and final Wild Card spot in the National League playoff picture, opening a 1.5-game lead over the San Francisco Giants. Should they make the postseason, there is little doubt right now that McLean is a Game 1 starter.
